MLB Rumors

The Orioles placed reliever Pedro Strop on the 15-day disabled list Saturday, with a lower back strain. Steve Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk to take his place in the bullpen.

Strop has allowed runs in each of his last two outings, raising his ERA for the season to 6.11. It is not clear how long he has been dealing with this injury. 

The Orioles recalled pitcher Steve Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk prior to the team's game against the Blue Jays Saturday.

Johnson was scratched from his start Friday, a sign that his recall was looming. Johnson is expected to join the Orioles' bullpen. He has a 5.49 ERA at Norfolk, and allowed six runs in four innings in his lone major-league appearance earlier this season. 

Starting pitcher Martin Perez will be recalled to start one of the Rangers' two games Monday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. Manager Ron Washington previously said that the team wanted to be sure Perez had the stamina to pitch without limitations after Tuesday's minor-league start.

Perez is 1-2 with a 6.05 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and 14:3 K:BB ratio in 19 1/3 innings in the minors. He's made two starts at Double-A and two starts at Triple-A, posting better numbers at the higher level.

Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin enjoyed a productive performance at the plate Friday night against the Diamondbacks, after missing the previous two games with a knee injury.

Quentin doubled in the second, singled in the sixth and doubled again in the eighth. He finished 3 for 3 with a walk and a run scored in a 5-2 defeat.

Quentin is hitting .304 (7 for 23) with three doubles, a home run and three RBI in his last six games played. He has a .204/.321/.419 slash line with four home runs and 14 RBI in 93 at-bats.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt (back) returned to the starting lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Belt singled in the second and drew a walk in the ninth as he finished 1 for 3 in a 5-0 defeat.

Belt is hitting .300 (6 for 20) with one home run and one RBI in his last six games. He has a .253/.323/.432 slash line in 146 at-bats.

Giants third baseman Pablo Sandoval (illness) had an uneventful night in his first game back Friday against the Rockies.

Sandoval finished 0 for 4 with one strikeout in a 5-0 defeat. He has been held without a hit in his last five at-bats.

Sandoval is hitting .299 with eight home runs and 34 RBI in 187 at-bats.

Mariners starting pitcher Joe Saunders couldn't contain the Rangers' offense Friday night, allowing six earned runs on eight hits and two walks in five innings while striking out a season-high seven batters.

The loss dropped Saunders to 3-5 and gave him a 6.09 ERA in 57 2/3 innings this year heading into Wednesday's game against the Padres in San Diego.

Rockies closer Rafael Betancourt (groin) threw a side session without any discomfort prior to Friday's 5-0 win over the Giants.

Betancourt would have been available in the ninth inning if it was a save situation, according to The Denver Post. He has not pitched since May 21.

Rangers closer Joe Nathan was brought into a 9-5 game with two runners on and two outs in the ninth inning Friday and struck out Seattle's Michael Morse to earn his 15th save of the year. It was Nathan's second one-out save of the season, although he allowed two hits and hit a batter in his previous one-out save.

Nathan hasn't allowed a hit in his previous four appearances while lowering his ERA to 1.96.

Rockies outfielder Michael Cuddyer returned to action in a big way as he launched his eighth home run of the season Friday night against the Giants.

Cuddyer doubled in two runs in the first and took starter Tim Lincecum deep for a solo home run in the sixth inning. He finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBI in a 5-0 win.

Cuddyer has recorded a hit in each of his last four games. He is hitting .438 (7 for 16) with two home runs and four RBI over that span.